18.03.

1745: Sir Robert Walpole – The First Prime Minister in British History

He was also the Prime Minister with the longest mandate in British history – 20 years and 314 days

Sir Robert Walpole, the man considered to be the first Prime Minister in the history of Great Britain, died on this day in 1745. He remained on that leading position from 1721 until 1742, i.e. during the reign of British kings George I and George II from the Hanover dynasty. He was also the Prime Minister with the longest mandate in British history – 20 years and 314 days (the runner-up is William Pitt the Younger with 18 years and 342 days).

Sir Robert Walpole received the hereditary title of Earl of Orford towards the end of his life, and is thus sometimes known as Lord Orford. He died in London, aged 68.

Walople’s son Horace became a writer, author of the well-known gothic novel The Castle of Otranto. This novel had a significant impact on future novels in the genre.